>> and now, bbc world news america. >> reporting from washington, i'm kathy. my time party, morning hangover. president obama rally supporters but is then hit with a disappointing jobs numbers. a young christian girl accused of blasphemy in pakistan is granted bail. she could soon be freed. but if she's safe? he really is treading on three eyes. the arctic is melting and the ripples could affect us all around the world. >> scientists are stunned by how much ice has melted this summer. the change so dramatic it could be affecting the global weather.

>> welcome on our viewers in america and around the globe. the stadium had hardly been cleared after president obama's speech to the democratic convention when americans were hit with the reality of more disappointing jobs numbers. obama himself admitted that progress is not good enough but he added recovery will take time. last night, that is exactly what he asked voters for more of. our editor starts are coverage. >> he came on the chance on four more years and that is what it is all about, whether this man deserves to stay as president of the united states. he says he shares the pain and

frustration of those who have lost their jobs but have never been more hopeful about america because of its people. this election would be the clearest choice in a generation. >> it will be a choice between two pads for america, between different visions for the future. >> this was not the rhetoric of four years ago. instead it workmanlike presence on the hard path to a better place. he derided his opponent as the same old failed policies of the past. >> have a surplus? try a tax cut. the deficit is too high? try another. stilicho coming on? take to bank tax cuts and rollbacks and regulations and call us in the morning. >> he mocked mitt romney's lack of foreign experience. >> you might not be ready if you

cannot visit the olympics without insulting our closest allies. >> scarcely time to catch a breath and both hit the campaign trail. this is what greeted the president. >> we are not better off under president obama. fewer jobs, higher taxes on middle-class. fuel prices have doubled. >> with the romney campaign is focusing on eight states. the cost is nearly 3 million pounds. >> it has been 43 months above 8%. there are 23 million americans that are out of work or are underemployed. it is a national tragedy. >> this is the reality behind the rhetoric. today's disappointing figures show unemployment is not going up but few new jobs are being

created. >> i do not think he has caused the problem but i do not think he helped a problem. >> i believe he is for the people and doing what he would do for his own family. >> they need somebody else in there. >> on main street, it would take a striking speech to outcry people's experience. both the political conventions are over and nobody had terrific triumphs. what matters is how it goes down and swing states like this one bank. one.is it looks like they're heading toward a photo finish. >> for more on the day after the convention, and the impact of those jobs figures that were published this morning, let's go to new york and speak to the managing editor of time magazine. economists had expected the economy to add 130,000 new jobs

last month and it only added 96,000. what went wrong? >> the figures were disappointing and i think they reflect the headwinds from abroad, the slope and in europe and emerging markets, which is infecting industries like manufacturing. there had been a resurgence in ottawa jobs thanks to the bailout of detroit but now we're seeing a slowdn. >> even if these are caused by things that are happening abroad, that is not much help to the why house. >> no although it is interesting, i think this is going to be an unusual election. it has been already in the sense the economy has not been more of a headwinds for their president. any other era, you could not have an economy this bad and consumer confidence this low and still have an incumbent neck in neck with his rival.

that is because the voters know they are more savvy about the economy. these problems are coming from abroad and they see the issue as the shrinking middle class and they do not see a romney as a guide beckon six that with his cayman island accounts. >> the one area where we might get relief is from the federal reserve. ben bernanke was prepared to do more to help the economy but getting back to your point about the era, that is a short term fix. >> absolutely. if you look at the history of quantitative easing, the first blast had an effect on the markets. the second one not so much. most do not think this will do much for the economy or the stock market because they have priced in the news. ben bernanke feels like he is the last man standing in washington and he has to do something. >> anything else is hijacked by

the political realities of the campaign, right? >> while we really need to get jobs growing is a long-term reform. i think the president put that well in his speech. it is a long road but it goes to a better place. unfortunately have political gridlock. the bankers are trying to rescue us. i do not think they will be able to do it. >> there are two more jobs numbers. september and october. october will come out five days before people vote. do you think these numbers change people's mines or is this a question of perception? >> if you looked, you would say yes but it has been an unusual season. the president has been able to ride the economy well. i think of the numbers were down, that could have an effect but if they remain static, if

unemployment continues to hover around 8.1%, he still could win. >> thank you as ever. a young girl and pakistan accused of blasphemy has been granted bail but her lawyers say freedom is not a guarantee of safety to was detained three weeks ago after she is accused of burning pages of the koran. ahead of her expected release, there are fears for her safety. people accused of blasphemy have been killed by extremists. >> her lawyers arrive for a crucial hearing in a case which has caused an international outcry. inside the courtroom, hours of legal argument about whether and mentally impaired young girl should remain behind bars. the judge has given his verdict

and she has been granted bail. after three weeks, she can look forward to being the united with her family. there are concerns for her safety and for theirs. supporters fear they may be at risk anywhere in pakistan. the only grant -- a glimpse of her came nasty when she was remanded in custody. -- came last week when she was remanded in custody. >> no injustice will be done. the responsibility of her security is on the shoulder of the government. i give assurance that if she will be safe. >> in this neighborhood, her bell was not mentioned. the imam of this mosque has been

arrested, accused of fabricating evidence against her. we ask locals if you would be welcome to come back. >> if she is innocent, she would be welcome. but we do not think she is innocent. among christians, there is relief that she will be out of prison but many feel vulnerable. >> it is possible that any of us could be accused of blasphemy. so we do not want to stay here. she is expected to be released from jail on saturday. but the blasphemy laws that put her here look likely to remain unchanged. >> a wering time for a young girl and pakistan. and look at some other news from around the world, prosecutors and france say the growth is survived an attack near a hot

spot has confirmed her mother, father, and grandmother were among the victims. their older sister remains under police protection and hospital. a french a cyclist was also killed. rescue teams are struggling to reach villages in china where a series of earthquakes have killed more than 60 people and injured hundreds more. some 20,000 buildings have collapsed or been damaged. the united states says the pakistan-based haqqani group meets criteria as designated a terrorist organization. it has been accused of attacks in afghanistan like this one a year ago. it means the haqqani group could become subject to u.s. financial sanctions. the icecaps are melting in the polar north but the impact could be felt around the world. scientists say that dramatic changes are underway but could

affect whether globally. the area has lost record amounts of ice and the melting is expected to accelerate. david is on the island to keep inside the arctic circle. >> i join you from the arctic island and behind me, and 800 miles to the north is the north pole and a few carry-on past that, you come to alaska, the ad states is one of many countries with a direct stake in what is happening in the arctic. let me show you the scene behind league. you expect that at this time of year, the peak of the melt season. there is snow on the mountainside in the distance. but what scientists are concerned about is the rate of melting out in the ocean. it has left them stunned. >> a journey through a frozen

ocean transformed into slush. this is the arctic where temperatures are rising and the ice is stirring. we approached the ainge and we need to be careful. like many, it is shedding great chunks of ice into the ocean. 1 million fragments fall like trouble. -- rubble. it is beyond doubt the arctic is changing dramatically and the ocean is going through a record amount. although this region is remote, it could have repercussions for global weather patterns thousands of miles away. across the arctic, scientists are trying to understand what is happening. a helicopter lifts a device into the air and the measures the thickness of the ice. an indicator of how long it

might last. the results are verified the old fashion way, by drawing. researchers say the ice is definitely getting thinner. during a break, i went on board to meet the scientist. these are cautious people but they are stunned by the scale of the amount. -- of the melt. >> i know this is unprecedented. it is truly amazing. it is a dramatic change. >> this is how much ice is left at the end of the summer. compare that to what is left right now and it is still under way. this landscape has warmed up in the past for natural reasons but scientists are convinced man- made pollution is accelerating the change and it is big enough to make a difference. >> when the arctic is ice free,

when it is darker, we will absorb more sunlight. that change will influence when the system and precipitation. >> we find a bearded seal, one of many creatures that needs the eyes. the ocean will freeze but sometime soon there may be a summer with no ice at all. >> the impact of this change may be felt far beyond this remote part of the world. heat waves in the united states, storms in europe, all because the melting of ice may shift to the position of the jet streams. the scientists are convinced the scale of the change means they are onto something. >> david was some alarming findings from the arctic north that affects all of us around the world. you are watching "bbc world news

america." team carrefour two enemies. a u.s. intelligence and cuban firepower are stopping drug traffickers before they can reach american waters. the united nations has doubled its humanitarian appeal for syria as the worsening conflict sense numbers of people fleeing the country. two bombs went off in damascus. state television said the first exploded in the north of the city. the second several hours later near the ministry of justice. our correspondent has sent us this report from london on. >> syrian television said the first bomb went off near a mosque in northern damascus. as worshipers were coming out after friday's prayers. buildings were damaged by the blast. state tv said they were hidden

in a motorcycle. of those who died or security personnel. two hours later, a second bomb went off on the western outskirts of the capital. it caused the destruction to vehicles but the authorities said there were no casualties. the bomb exploded near the ministry of justice but does is not seem to have been badly damaged. the bombs in the capital came against the background of continuing violence around damascus and other parts of the country. it is one of several that have been pounded by artillery in recent days. this is where the fighting began two months ago and the regime does not have an under full control. the same goes for the country's biggest city in the north. it is still concern tested

despite the use of artillery and firepower -- still contested despite the use of artillery and firepower. people are being killed every day. it has become a war of attrition. >> for more than 40 years, america has been fighting a war on drugs and the one thing yet learned is that it pays to have good allies. cuba is not an obvious candidate but the island has a zero tolerance policy and drugs and now have and is helping american officials to stop the flow of narcotics from south america. our correspondent has this report from havana. >> patrolling the coast of cuba. it looks tranquil this island is key territory in the fight against drug-trafficking.

of the busy route, cuba has of its current. -- upped it guard. most boats are going for the united states. stuffed with up to a ton of narcotics. hear, a crew tries to dump the evidence. securing those drugs is a key concern for cuba and i was given access to see how the guards operate. the boats we went out on have been confiscated from traffickers. this was a training drill put the troops are under orders to keep genuine drugs off the shores. >> if they cannot catch the smugglers, they chased them out of these waters. cuba passes on real time data to the u.s. to pick up the pursuit. it is reared team work for two

old enemies. >> the drugs have been found and secured. the priority is making sure that real drugs do not make it onto the domestic market but cuba is so close to america that this policy makes it into a major obstacle for traffickers. a heavily policed to society, it is no surprise -- low supply means that marijuana can cost up to zero because wage. but some still see potential. >> we have noted that he high price of drugs has stimulated attempts to bring narcotics into cuba. there has been an increase in these operations to. the amount is not huge but it is a concern. >> he tried that route. i met him in a prison where he

is serving a 23 year sentence. he was trafficking from ecuador was stomachs full of cocaine. he says dozens more have joined him behind bars. >> everybody trying to do that is going to be caught. that is what i suppose. >> cuba's security forces are alert but for now they say most drugs were on routes to the u.s. and beyond. they end up in this factory. last year, over 9 tons of mechanics went up in flames. >> another problem on the high seas. it is not often we get to hear

what it is like to be attacked by pirates. this week, a fuel tanker was hijacked close to the nigerian coast. the crew was freed and a reporter went to meet them. >> this is what the pirates were after, the star. the tanker was full of petrol and had just set cell. then at night, close to the nigerian coast, came under attack. the navy took us to meet some of the indian crew who had been on board during the hijacking. the captain said they came in four boats. >> they were very fast. the hat twin engines and the boats were big. each one had about five people. it was very fast. already one or two people --

they were on board. >> their crew had been trained for this and locked themselves in a safe room. the believe that the pirates spent the night offloading some of the cargo. one member climbed to get a mobile phone reception and called for help. it was all along, wait. >> it was very disturbing. let them take whatever they want to take. our lives should be safe. >> the navy sent a helicopter to rescue the tanker and two escort it back to the porch. this was the third hijacking in the region. the navy says increased patrols and preventing attacks but more warships are needed. >> while it might look like cigar -- like a success, there are a few worries. how did they manage to get the

vessel in the first place and how did they get away? another question, as nigeria exports and refined oil, why was the tankard taking petrol from here to america? the rescue teams may have arrived after the pirates had fled but the crew were grateful for the help and relief to be free. what about getting in touch with your relatives? >> everybody asked us to get back as soon as possible. >> who did you call first? >> my wife and my mother. i have baby girls. it was a tough moment for me. >> a happy and luckey group. it is spreading to west africa as well. that brings today's show to a close. you can get updates at any time on our website. i am also on twitter.

this is "bbc world news america ." have a great weekend. >> make sense of international news at bbc.com/news. >> funding for this presentation was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, and union bank. >> at union bank, our relationship managers work hard to understand the industry you operate in, working to nurture new ventures and help provide capital for key strategic decisions.

we offer expertise and tailored solutions in a wide range of industries. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet, los angeles.

- get ready to blast off, neighbour. today we're going to play outer space at our friend miss elaina's house. and then we're going to play at prince wednesday's royal castle. i'm so happy you're my friend. ugga-mugga. be right back. is made possible in part by... the richard king mellon foundation. dedicated for over sixty years to south western pennsylvania's quality of life, and competitive future. and by these pittsburg foundations. working together to enhance and enrich the lives of children for more than seventy-five years. and by the arthur vining davis foundations. dedicated to strengthening america's future through education. adcasting, dedicated to strengthening america's future and contributions to your pbs station, from viewers like you.

in the neighbourhood ♪ and contributions to your pbs station, ♪ a beautiful day for a neighbour ♪ ♪ would you be mine? ♪ could you be mine? ♪ won't you be my neighbour? - ♪ it's daniel tiger's neighborhood ♪ ♪ a land of make-believe ♪ won't you ride along with me? ♪ - ♪ ride along - ♪ it's daniel tiger's neighborhood ♪ ♪ so much to do, so much to see ♪ ♪ won't you ride along with me? ♪ - ♪ ride along - ♪ i've got lots of friends for you to meet ♪ ♪ in this land of make-believe ♪ a friendly face on every street ♪ just waiting to greet you ♪ it's a beautiful day in the neighbourhood ♪ ♪ a beautiful day for a neighbour ♪ ♪ in daniel tiger's neighborhood. ♪ - hi, neighbour. we're playing at miss elaina's house today. she lives in the museum-go-round, and she is a very fun friend. verrry fun. - (robot voice): daniel tiger, i'm so glad you came to play.